Tenute Rubino, Manduria DOC (Puglia, Italy) Primitivo 2019

 In Puglia, which sits in the heel of the Italian boot, the summers are generally hot while the winters can be mild.  Tenute Rubino is picturesquely located at the edge of two seas, the Adriatic and Ionian.  The winery was established in the early 1980s by Tommaso Romi whose son, Luigi, has now taken over management of the estate (Luca Petrellis has been the winemaker here for the past 20 years).  Tenuta Rubino’s Primitivo grapes grow in soils composed of limestone and sand on top of clay.  As you taste the dark red wine it settles deliciously against the palate offering a wealth of flavors including ultra-ripe red fruits bolstered by subtle suggestions of black pepper and a whisper of chocolate.  It may remind you of Zinfandel, a close relative of the Primitivo grape, but it is less sweet and more nuanced than California’s Zin.  The exceedingly hefty Primitivo bottle is readily recognizable thanks to its colorful label, which was created by the talented Brindisi artist Dino Sambiasi.